The Fast Casual 2.0 Meet Ups are a local networking opportunity for operators, encouraging education and collaboration among industry peers over free food and drink. The series launched in 2016 and has brought together hundreds of fast-casual innovators around the U.S.

“We launched our Fast Casual 2.0 Meet Ups as a way for us to meet face to face with fast-casual operators around the country, but more importantly, as a way for operators in cities across the U.S. to meet each other,” says Sam Oches, QSR editor. “There’s so much exciting innovation going on at the local level in these cities, and we wanted to create a space where those innovators could come together outside the pressures of their day-to-day work.”

On February 22, in partnership with sponsor U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, QSR is hosting its Chicago Fast Casual 2.0 Meet Up at Cruz Blanca (904 W. Randolph St.), Chef Rick Bayless’ new brewery and taqueria. For more information and to RSVP to the Chicago Meet Up, click here. Further details on future Meet Up dates will be released soon.